Statistical physics and hydrodynamics in astrophysics: the case of gaseous giant (solar and extrasolar) planets
Gilles Chabrier
(CRAL, ENS de Lyon)
At the time of this seminar, more than 2000 extrasolar planets have been discovered orbiting stars outside our solar system, with masses ranging from Earth masses to tens of Jupiter masses. Understanding the formation, structure and evolution of these planets represents a thriving domain of modern astrophysics, with many puzzling observational properties remaining unanswered. Good templates for a better understanding of these new worlds are our own giant planets Jupiter and Saturn, whose structure and evolution still hold problems. The most important one being the large excess luminosity of Saturn for its age, a question which has remained unanswered since it was revealed in the late 60s. In this seminar, I will examine how statistical physics and hydrodynamics allow to explore these
issues and lead to possible explanations for solar and extrasolar giant planet properties.